I working my way back through the "Sun" set (all three series) before getting The Wizard. It's fun getting back to them after so long and seeing what new things I pick up, or had just forgotten. I'm seeing some of the more hidden connections to real history in the New Sun books right now.

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I have no sig and while saying I MUST scream is excessive, I think I WILL scream anyhow.

nice to see other Wolfe fans are out there. I havent read his new series yet, I still have to finish "Return to the Whorl". Up until that book I have read, I think, every novel or compilation he has had published. The only other author I have liked that much is Frank Herbert, but fortunately Wolfe is still alive and writing.

The "New Sun" series is a good starting point for Wolfe, but the "Long Sun" ones seem to be more approachable: the writing isnt quite as complex, and the story has a protagonist more people can feel warmly toward. Severian wasnt really someone many people would like, as he really wasnt a good person except in the broad sense.

Glad to hear the new series is so good, I will have to get back into it. I also need to get "Soldier of Arete".

BTW, did anyone read "Castleview"? Because I found the end very anticlimactic.

It's been too long since I read Casteview to say anything intelligent about it. I thought it was lots of fun, though. I'm surprised you found the Long Sun books more accesible than the New Sun books. I found the former a bit more dense. But I'm reading them all again, so maybe it will be easier this time. The Knight is one of the easiest to read things Wolfe has ever writtten, at least since The Devil in a Forest. There's still plenty of depth to it, but I could easily see high school readers enjoying it.

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I have no sig and while saying I MUST scream is excessive, I think I WILL scream anyhow.

I agree--I also thought the Book of the New Sun easier/more approachable than the Long Sun books. Maybe it was just me. I loved 'em all.

Heck, I barely recall the events of Castelview. I read it when it came out, and it's faded with time.

Unbreakable, you definitely need to read The Solideir of Arete. Fun stuff. Mirrors the New Sun--instead of a character with perfect recall, the Soldier of Arete's main character has no long term memory. Fascinating what Wolfe does with such a premise. The second book was much tougher reading, but I love the first one.

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I was thrown out of college for cheating on the metaphysics exam; I looked into the soul of the boy sitting next to me.

fish- I read "soldier of the mists" already, so I know about the Latro character. I just never picked up the sequel I could have been more clear on that.

paul- I didnt think the writing in the Long Sun was any less dense or complex, I have just heard many people claim they never got into the New Sun books because they disliked Severian so much. Personally I kind of sympathized with him (he may not have always done the right thing, but he tried to be a good person), but I have heard that quite a few times.

So in terms of a "first Wolfe book", Long Sun may be a better series to start someone off with. In many ways, Silk was an antithesis to Severian, but I dont think that was exactly Wolfe's intention.

Woo hoo .. for other Gene Wolfe fans. Wasn't The Knight a fantastic book? Just added this and the new Tad Williams (though I never got through the 4th Otherland book) to my book stack of TO BE READ SOON. Also new Terry Pratchett is out.

The new Tad Williams? Would that be 'The War of the Flowers'? I just started that, never having read anything by him before this. It looked like a good opportunity that didn't require several huge novels to wade through, only one. :wink:

I also am a Wolfe fan, having read the 'New Sun' books way back in the day and enjoying them tremendously. In a moment of weakness after stumbling across the series again, I repurchased (from ORB) the 'New Sun' and 'Long Sun' series, plus the 'Short Sun' novels published by TOR. On my list!

Sounds like I should pick up the new series as well. Unless Martin finishes the next 'Song of Fire & Ice' novel, that is. :evil:

Just started Shadowmarch myself. Have to admit, that while I loved all of William's previous books, I'm finding this a little hard to get into. Probably the wee folk. Then I hope to read thr new Tomas Covenant.

Funny you mention this. For whatever reason this is the first Tad Williams book that I have taken an interest in right away. Normally I have to plod through a 100 or so pages before they click.

-Crusis

Quote from: "JayG"

Just started Shadowmarch myself. Have to admit, that while I loved all of William's previous books, I'm finding this a little hard to get into. Probably the wee folk. Then I hope to read thr new Tomas Covenant.